Welcome to 9jawedey: 02/24/14

WhatsApp says to allow free voice calls by mid-year

BARCELONA, Feb 24 – Fresh from a $19-billion (14-billion-euro) takeover by Facebook, mobile messaging service WhatsApp said Monday it will launch free voice calls by mid-year. The introduction of free calls, revealed on the opening day of the four-day World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, Spain, would match rival application Viber’s similar offering. “We are going to introduce voice on WhatsApp in the second quarter of this year,” WhatsApp founder Jan Koum said. Facebook, whose 29-year-old billionaire creator Mark Zuckerberg was the star speaker on the opening day of the industry fair, announced a stock and cash purchase of WhatsApp on Wednesday. “Five years ago we had no users, no product,” said Koum.

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Egypt government resigns ahead of presidential poll

Egyptian prime minister Hazem al-Beblawi

CAIRO, Feb 24 – The military-installed government of Egyptian prime minister Hazem al-Beblawi said Monday it has resigned, ahead of a presidential poll which will likely bring army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to power. Sisi, by far the country’s most popular political figure, has not yet announced his candidacy for this spring’s presidential election, but aides say he has already decided to run and will make the announcement soon. The field marshal, who is the defence minister and first deputy prime minister in the outgoing cabinet, has to resign from the government and the army before he can officially announce his candidacy. Beblawi’s government was appointed in July after Sisi ousted Islamist Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first elected and civilian president. A limited reshuffle to allow Sisi to step aside had been planned for weeks, but the resignation of the entire cabinet appeared to come as a surprise even for some government officials. The administration has weathered sharp criticism over its handling of security and the economy amid a spate of bombings and labour strikes, and could have presented Sisi with unwanted campaign baggage. “The cabinet decided in light of the current situation that the country is going through… to submit its resignation to Adly Mansour, the interim president,” it said in a statement. Beblawi praised the government’s performance on state television. “For the past six to seven months, the government assumed its responsibilities and duties… the government did not spare any efforts to get Egypt out of a bad phase,” Beblawi said in reference to the security and economic issues. “This is not the time for personal interests. The nation is above everybody.” Beblawi said the government had also completed the first step in a road map outlined by the military-installed authorities, by holding a referendum on a new constitution in January. Beblawi said the his government would remain in a caretaker role until the interim president signs off on the resignations, the official MENA news agency reported. Government spokesman Hany Saleh told AFP that Monday’s decision was taken because there was a “feeling that new blood is needed”. “Egypt is moving forward. This decision will not affect foreign relations or internal stability,” he said, adding it was still unclear which ministers would keep their posts.

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Jonathan Calls On Boko Haram To Surrender

Goodluck Jonathan

The Federal Government has once again called on members of the Boko Haram sect to lay down their arms and engage government in a constructive manner to address their grievances.
President Goodluck Jonathan made the call at an international seminar on the Imperatives of Observance of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Norms in Internal Security holding at the National Defence College, Abuja.
The president also recalled the directives to the service chiefs to ensure that relevant human rights are emphasised in the training of members of the armed forces in the fight against insurgency.
He however expressed regret that the Boko Haram sect does not feel obliged to basic tenets of human rights, describing them as “brutal and removed from modern civilization,” killing innocent citizens at will.

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President of Uganda Joins Jonathan to sign Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law

Museveni

Uganda’s President Museveni has signed the country’s anti-gay bill into law, despite warnings from US President Barack Obama that it would “complicate our valued relationship” and will mark a “step backward” for all Ugandans and reflect poorly on the country’s commitment to protect the human rights of its people.” The bill states that first-time offenders will be sentenced to 14 years in jail. Then life imprisonment for repeat offenders, as well as acts involving a minor, a disabled person or where one partner is infected with HIV. The bill originally proposed the death penalty for some homosexual acts, but that was later removed amid international criticism. In December last year, Uganda’s Parliament passed the bill but President Yoweri Museveni said he would only sign the bill into law if he had proof that gay people are ‘made’ and ‘not born’ into their sexuality. And last week he changed his stand, saying a team of Ugandan scientists had reported that there is no evidence that homosexuality is caused by genetics. However, over the weekend in South Africa, former archbishop Desmond Tutu had criticised President Museveni for supporting the bill, describing it as “evil”.

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Jonathan surrounded by incompetent people –Sanusi

Goodluck and Sanusi

The suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, on Sunday described President Goodluck Jonathan as a simple man trying to do well but surrounded by “extremely incompetent and fraudulent” aides.

Sanusi was suspended by Jonathan on Thursday over alleged financial misconduct, an action viewed by many analysts as politically-motivated.

In an interview with the Agence France Presse in Lagos, Sanusi said many of the people advising Jonathan were sycophants, who did not speak frankly about the extent of corruption in government.

He said, “When you sit with the President, he appears a nice and simple person who is trying to do his best.

“His greatest failing obviously is that he is surrounded by people who are extremely incompetent, who are extremely fraudulent and whom he trusts.”

Sanusi also faulted the seizure of his international passport by security agents, claiming that it “was the beginning of infringement on my fundamental human rights.”

Regarding the allegations against him, the suspended CBN chief said when he heard of a report condemning his performance, he wrote to Jonathan in “June or July” asking if an explanation was needed, but received no reply.

But he added that the first time he was formally notified of the allegations was the day (last Thursday) he was suspended.

He argued that it would be too simple to describe his removal as payback for his attacks on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

“Since 2009, I have been annoying the government… There are people who think I have the wrong friends; people who think maybe I have not distanced myself enough from people who are seen to be opposition figures,” he further said.

Sanusi argued that the extent of graft in the NNPC might have reached an historic high.

“I think everybody has known that NNPC is rotten. I don’t think it has ever been as bad as this,” he told the AFP.

According to Sanusi, the so-called kerosene subsidy money spent by the Federal Government in fact pays for “private jets…yachts… and expensive property(of some public office holders) in Beverly Hills (United States) and Switzerland.”

Sanusi,who ruled out running for elected office, said he still had a future in public service.

He voiced his readiness to face any attacks that might come from those committed to preserving the status.

“If I am sacrificed in whatever way, my freedom or my life… if it does lead to better accountability, it will be well worth it,” the Kano State-born banker added.

But just as Sanusi spoke,the Presidency said it was in possession of different kinds of petitions against him.

It said the petitions from within and outside the CBN centred on the same line of breaches by him.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said this in an exclusive interview with one of our correspondents.

Abati, who was responding to a question on whether the Presidency was in possession of a petition from Dr. Erastus Akingbola, on alleged fraudulent takeover of Intercontinental Bank, said what was contained in the government official record was that Sanusi ran the CBN aground.

He said the government’s letter of suspension sent to him could be likened to a vote of no confidence in him.

The Presidential aide said, “There are all kinds of petition against the suspended CBN governors not just from Akingbola. There were so many allegations along the same line of breaches against him.

“There were complaints by people from the CBN and that is why the letter suspending him was very clear. In fact, that letter was like passing a vote of no confidence in Sanusi’s tenure.

“That is what is in the official record of the government: that he ran the place aground; that he ran the place with impunity; that he ran the place recklessly; that he ran the place without due recourse to its board .”

When asked if the government will encourage whoever that would succeed Sanusi to review his (Sanusi) policies, Abati replied, “I don’t think we have reached that stage yet.

“The name of the proposed CBN governor has been sent to the National Assembly. The National Assembly has yet to make a pronouncement on it. It is still at the level of nomination.

“So the Executive will not jump the gun by beginning to talk about what whoever becomes the CBN governor should do or not do. What we are assuring Nigerians and international investors is that the country’s monetary policy will remain stable. Investors have nothing to fear.”

When further asked why the government spared the CBN deputy governors despite the fact that the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria recommended that they should be sacked alongside the governor, Abati said investigation was still ongoing.

He said the objective of the government was not to shut down the bank.

He said, “Investigations are still continuing. In fact, if you read that report again, the first paragraph under recommendations asked for detailed investigations. “It is just commonsensical that if there is such a general indictment, the objective of government is not to shut down the CBN. In a situation like this, it makes sense that head is usually the symbol and investigations are continuing.

“It is not as if Sanusi has been removed, he has just been suspended to allow for further investigation. You can be sure that if any other official is indicted, such a person will not be protected.”

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Tambuwal visits Obasanjo, faults Sanusi’s suspension

Aminu Tambuwal

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, said on Sunday that the suspension of Mallam Lamido Sanusi as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria could hurt the nation’s economy.

Tambuwal, who visited former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State, said the action by President Goodluck Jonathan was capable of sending “wrong signals” to international investors about Nigeria’s financial institutions.

Explaining that he was at the Hilltop residence of the former President to consult him on some key issues of “national interest,” the speaker stated that foreign businessmen must have confidence in a nation’s financial system before they could invest their funds.

He said, “Well whether (Sanusi’s suspension) is lawful, legal or illegal, the personality involved has told everybody that he is going to court and I believe that he is already in court on that suspension.

“On the implications for the economy; I’m not an economist but I personally feel that it will definitely send wrong signals to investors. This is because you need to have confidence in the financial institutions, particularly the independence of the financial institutions of a country, before investors will consider such a country worthy of their investments.

“So, I have my concern about that.”

Tambuwal, who maintained that he was still a card-carrying member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, dismissed speculations that he was planning to leave the party for the All Progressives Congress or any other party.

He said, “I am visiting the national leader of the PDP. Baba(Obasanjo) and myself are in the PDP. Baba is a leader not only in Nigeria but in Africa and it is only appropriate for those of us in the positions of authority and leadership to occasionally come and consult him on matters of national interest and that is what we are here for today(Sunday).

“There are lots of issues in Nigeria today. Of course, there is the issue of Petroleum Industry Bill that we are considering in the House. We are doing constitution amendment and a host of other very key and important legislation before the parliament.

“So, we needed to consult our leaders on such very important and vital legislation before we conclude what we are doing on them. The Electoral Act is likely to be amended too. So, from his wealth of experience, we need some input from him(Obasanjo).”

Tambuwal was accompanied on the visit by the Deputy Minority Leader of the House, Kawu Sumaila; Ajibola Muraina and Aminu Shagari.

Also on Sunday, the Serving Overseer of The Latter Rain Assembly, Lagos, Pastor Tunde Bakare, said that the suspension of Sansusi would have negative implications for the nation.

Bakare described Jonathan’s action against the CBN governor as ego-driven and a destructive power game.

He said in a prepared speech, which he delivered during the Sunday service, that Sanusi was being persecuted for exposing corruption in the oil industry.

The cleric warned that Sanusi’s suspension could have negative consequences for the investing public and the nation’s revenue.

He said, “The suspension of Sanusi is an ego-driven, counter-productive and destructive power game that will have very dangerous consequences for the nation and the government,

“It is important not to demystify the institutions of the country. Personalities and people will go but the institutions will remain; the institutions must remain strong to enhance the growth and peace of the society.

“You can imagine the negative consequences of this suspension on the investing public, on shares and even on government revenue.”

Bakare whose speech was titled ‘Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and the Federal Government of Nigeria: Aitete m’ole, ole m’oloko,’ said the CBN boss became a victim because he delayed blowing the whistle about the corruption in the oil industry.

He explained that Aitete m’ole, ole m’oloko, means “that when the owner of the farm fails to apprehend the thief in time, the thief will apprehend the owner and label him the thief.”

The clergyman recalled that Sanusi’s travails started on September 25, 2013, when he wrote Jonathan accusing the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation of failing to repatriate $49.8bn (about N8tn) into the Federation Account between January 2012 and July 2013.

Bakare added, “The opportune time to blow the whistle should have been “when the CBN, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the PPPRA, the NNPC and other agencies provided conflicting figures as to actual subsidy payments to the Ad hoc Committee on the management of fuel subsidy”.

According to him, the NNPC had been spared of any indictment in all the three reports “from the 2011 KPMG report to the 2012 Farouk Lawan Committee Report and from the 2012 Nuhu Ribadu Committee Report to the 2013 Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative report.

“When the Save Nigeria Group raised the bar during the fuel subsidy protests and maintained that government-backed corruption fuelled by the NNPC was the main issue, perhaps a corroborating voice by the CBN governor would have added weight to the outcry.”

The cleric commended Sanusi for speaking up against corruption and urged him to take solace in the words of William Bryant, who once said that “Truth crushed to earth, shall rise again.”

“Make no mistake about it, few men have the courage of Sanusi,” he said.

Also in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Governor and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, condemned Sanusi’s suspension, saying Jonathan took the action because he felt that nobody would challenge him.

The governor spoke during a Sunday service and reception for the assistant resident ministers by the Christ Church in the city.

Amaechi urged religious leaders to always hold government accountable and champion the fight against corruption.

He said, “You can imagine how President Jonathan announced the sudden removal (suspension) of the CBN governor. He does not have such powers. He knows that nothing will happen and that was why he took that action.

“So, I think the preachers should begin to preach what we call the liberation theology. You (church leaders) are supposed to have more responsibilities to hold government accountable.

“The issue of the missing $49.8bn from the Federation Account is still there. If you convert that money to naira, you will get N8tn and that money can solve the problem of this country for the next few years.

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